FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

Of course is it totally up to you, to make a decision on when to move to your new home. You should take some time to shop around; not only for your new place, but for the moving company that would suite your moving needs the best. Keep in mind, that moving companies have business cycles, just like any other business. You should know that the busiest time for moving companies is summer. Starting from May all the way till September is the time when moving rates of all moving companies usually slightly higher. It is a simple rule of supply and demand. Summer is everywhere, if you are moving from Los Angeles to New York City, the weather and the climate would be very similar during summer, but if you would plan your move from Los Angeles to New York in the middle of winter, you could find yourself standing in the slow up to your knees wearing shorts trying to unload a moving truck. Make sure to schedule your moving date at least a week or two in advance. It will give you enough time to plan your move and prepare yourself and your family for moving.

If you know the exact date you will be moving out and the date when you will be moving in, then it is time for you to shop for a moving service. Always start with your local companies; small, family owned moving companies will provide you with the lowest moving quote and very professional moving service. If you are moving coast to coast, you will be looking for a quote from a large moving company, since your local movers do not have the capacity to move you across the country. Moving quotes for a local move will be 30-40% lower from your local small moving company; they will simply provide you either with an hourly rate or a flat rate for your move. In most cases there is no need for on-sight estimate. If you will get that offer, it means you are moving a mansion and should add another 20-25% to your moving bill.

One of the professional relocation specialists will schedule an appointment with you to inspect your house. Your moving specialist will calculate the cost of your move based on weight of your belongings, packing service, long carry, stairs and other additional charges that my apply to your move. Make sure you show your moving specialist the whole house and everything you are planning to move, if you will decide to add more furniture or personal affects after moving estimate has been given to you, the mover will add extra charges to your moving bill. It is important to show your moving specialist things you are planning to dispose of before the move; you do not want him or her to add extra charge for a bed or a couch to your bill if you are going to though them out. However, make sure to dispose of unwanted things prior to your moving day to avoid confusion.

A binding estimate is a simple contract between you and your mover that specifies the exact price you are required to pay for the moving service prior to the actual move. If you have decided to add extra service on your moving date, for example packing service, your mover will let you know how much extra it will cost you. A non-binding estimate or moving quote is usually applies to hourly rate type of service or per pound. Your mover will let you know how much money you will be paying per hour of work or how much it is per pound of weight.

It is very simple to understand, for example if you have a quote $55 per hour and movers finished within 5 hours, you will be charged $55x5hours=$275. The time starts when your movers arrive, till the time everything is unloaded. In most cases this is an all inclusive rate and covers mileage, gas, labor, long carry, stairs, insurance and reusable moving materials. If you have decided to pay per pound, your mover will weigh the truck before the move and weigh it again after the truck is fully loaded to determine the price. Your moving quote may look like that: $600 for first 2000 lbs and $0.45 for each additional lb, so if your belongings weight 4000 lbs you will pay $600+$90=$690. Keep in mind that non-reusable packing material like boxes, tape and bubble wraps will always be charged separately. In case if you have a moving specialist visiting your home for an on-sight estimate, he will give you the exact price after the inspection.

Keep in mind that law requires your moving company to collect payment prior to unloading the truck. Do not get frustrated or confused if foreman presents you with the bill while the truck is still loaded with your belongings. It is a precautionary method to ensure moving company is being compensated. In the event of a customer refuses to pay, moving company authorized not to release the shipment and seize it until the payment has been made. The actual payment method can be cash, check, credit card etc. Ask your mover for specific payment methods they accept.

These are contracts that every moving company is required to provide their customers with. Bill of Lading is a written receipt listing your belongings, addresses, delivery dates, insurance disclosure etc. Order for Service is a moving invoice that confirms your service and estimates. Take your time to read these contracts and feel free to ask your movers any questions that you may have. Sometimes a mover will also fill out an inventory list, even though it is not required by law, most movers prefer to do it for quality reasons.

Our movers, just like every other professional mover, use industrial packing materials like bubble wrap and shrink wrap. Movers always use enough packing materials to make sure your furniture will make it to your new place safe and sound.

You might want to empty the refrigerator, disconnect washer and dryer, dismount air conditioner, stove and tape the doors to prevent damage. It is not easy to disconnect washer or gas stove, your movers will not be able to do that for you either, but they will bring or recommend you professional appliance service providers to help you disassemble your appliances. If you are not taking stove or washer with you, and only have a fridge, do not worry about it, all you need to do is unplug it and tape the door.

Every reputable mover should tell you to make necessary arrangements for your special antique items. Relocating your antiques in the fully loaded truck may not be the best idea. Antique furniture, paintings or pottery require special care and separate transportation means. Jewelry, documents and cash should be stored separately and kept out of reach of children, strangers or pets. You might want to put your valuables in a safe deposit box in the bank or give it to your relatives for safekeeping.

If you are moving locally, within an hour drive, must movers will not have any objections to pack your plants and carefully load it in the truck. However, if it is an interstate move, it will not be possible to move your plants in the truck. First of all, most likely your plants will not survive long trip in the truck and second, every state has different regulations in this matter. Most of the states will not allow to cross the border with plants in the truck, some of the states will have a very strict restrictions, and some states will have no problem with this issue at all. Make sure to check states website to find out about these restrictions if you will decide to move the plants on your own.

First of all, you do not want to store your clothes or personal belongings in the wardrobe or desk. Everything should be taken out and packed. Most movers provide you with wardrobe carton boxes free of charge, designed especially for your clothes. The rest of your stuff you can pack in the box or have your movers pack it for you. Make sure to tape wardrobe doors, take the drawers out of the dresses and disassemble the desk if necessary.

Every moving company will call you from the home office to confirm the moving day 24-48 hours prior the move, make sure to inform the representative of any changes, such as, road block on your street. If you did not have time to pack and will not have a chance to do it yourself, let your mover know that, so they can send you a crew of professional packers to get everything ready. A driver will call you one or two hours before the actual move. You should be aware of that and make sure you answer your phone and confirm the time and date, otherwise your moving service will be cancelled. If you will not pick up your phone to confirm that you are ready to move an hour before your scheduled time, driver may turn around and park the truck in the garage, the crew will not come to knock on your door to make sure you are at home and ready to go.

In case if it is a local move, the movers will load the truck in front of your eyes and when everything is ready to go, they will follow you to your new home and unload the truck. If it is a long distance move, then most likely you will be on the plane. The long distance delivery may take anywhere from 1 to 15 days, depending on the distance. Make sure to provide your movers with reliable contact information, because they will try to contact you 24-48 hours prior the delivery. Once you agreed upon the delivery date and time, the truck with your belongings will arrive and movers will start unloading the truck.

Yes, every professional moving company doing business as mover is required to be registered and licensed with the state or government. It is public information and anyone can check if the company is licensed or not on the internet with Department of Transportation.

Not every moving company provides storage services, however, in most cases it will not be a problem. You have to make sure you understand that the company will charge you additional fee for storage and you will not have access to your stuff in the warehouse.